NOVEMBER

North Dakota Game and Fish newsletter – Nov. 22

Darkhouse Spearfishing Opens Dec. 1, Anglers Must Register. Additional opportunities highlight this winter’s darkhouse spearfishing season, as more lakes have been added to open waters. However, Patterson Reservoir (Dickinson Reservoir) in Stark County has been removed.

Carlson Lakes (Ward County), Gravel Lake (Rolette County), West Napoleon Lake (Logan County) and all waters open to public fishing in Ramsey County have been added to the list of lakes open for darkhouse spearfishing.

North Dakota’s darkhouse spearfishing season opens on most state waters Dec. 1, with the exception of Spiritwood Lake which opens Jan. 1. The season runs through March 15. Legal fish are northern pike and nongame species.

Darkhouse spearing is allowed for all residents with a valid fishing license and for residents under the age of 16. Nonresidents may darkhouse spearfish in North Dakota if they are from states that offer the same privilege for North Dakota residents.

All individuals who participate in darkhouse spearfishing must register with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department prior to participating. Registration is available at the department’s website, gf.nd.gov, or through any Game and Fish Department office.

Winter access difficulties in 2009-10 were reflected in the number of darkhouse spearfishing participants. Although the number of registrants remained relatively stable, overall harvest last winter, when nearly 700 participants speared more than 2,300 pike, was the second lowest on record. Lake Laretta (Nelson County), Devils Lake (Ramsey/Benson County) and Buffalo Lodge Lake (McHenry County) were the top three lakes for harvest.

Workshop to Focus on Hunting AccessHunters looking for suggestions on how to gain more access to private land are invited to attend a hunter-landowner relations workshop Monday, Dec. 13 in Bismarck.
The workshop is free, and is scheduled from 6:30 – 9 p.m. at the Career Academy Conference Center (1221 College Drive) on the campus of Bismarck State College.
North Dakota Game and Fish Department personnel will provide tips for hunters on how to approach landowners and ask permission to hunt on private land. Private landowners and representatives from the North Dakota Landowner-Sportsman Council will assist with the presentation.

Pat Lothspeich, Game and Fish Department outreach biologist, said land access is the main issue facing hunters today. “There might be more private land that is posted now than when I was a kid, but that doesn’t always mean a landowner doesn’t allow hunting, and it shouldn’t prevent a hunter from seeking permission,” Lothspeich said. “This workshop will help hunters gain the confidence to knock on a door or make a phone call, and provide other tips to improve the experience for both the hunter and landowner.”

The primary sponsor of the workshop is BSC’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math program. Co-sponsors are Delta Waterfowl, NDLSC, and Game and Fish.

For more information, contact Scott Terning, Delta Waterfowl, at (701) 222-8857 or Lothspeich at (701) 328-6332.